Mail-box.



H. P. DAVIS. MAIL BOX. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1908.

923,818; Patented. June 8,1909.

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H. P. DAVIS.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6,1908.

923,818, Patented June 8, 1909. ZSHEETB-BHEET 2. FILE. E

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UNIT El HARRY P. DAVIS, OF NEW MIDDLETOWN, OHIO.

MAIL-BOX.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY P. DAVIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Middletown, in the county of Mahoning, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a mail box and more particularly to the class of mail boxes adapted for use in rural districts.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a mail box especially designed for use in rural districts to receive mail for collection and delivery and comprises a hinged top or cover adapted to automatically actuate a slide supporting a hinged coin depository or carrier upon the raising and lowering of the said cover or top whereby the requisite amount of money can be deposited and held in a convenient manner in the mail box to be subsequently collected by the mail agent when mail matter is collected andv introduced into the said box.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mail box having pivotally connected thereto signals, one of which is adapted to be set by a person depositing mail matter in the box to indicate to the mail agent or postman that there is mail matter within the said mail box, and the other signal adapted to be automatically actuated upon the raising of the cover or top ofthe mail box to indicate to the occupants of an adjacent dwelling house that the mail agent or post rgian has deposited mail matter within the A further object of the invention is the provision of a mail box having within the same means for holding mail matter to be collected by the agent separated from mail matter deposited in the box by the postman or mail agent.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a mail box which is simple in construction, durable, thoroughly efficient in operation and comparatively inexpensive in the manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention for example consists in the con struction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully de- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6, 1908.

Patented June 8, 1909.

Serial No. 461,309.

drawings which disclose the preferred form of embodiment of the invention and. as brought out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with the cover or top raised. Fig. 3 is one end. elevation with the house signal in a vertical position. Fig. 4 is an opposite end elevation, the same being partly broken away and the top or cover raised and the coin depository in its discharging position. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the house signal. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the box is made.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

In the drawings the numeral 8 designates generally the mail box or receptacle which is preferably made from a single blank and it may be of any well known or approved con struction and material and connected to the said box or receptacle by hinges 9 is a raising and lowering cover or top 10 the latter provided with a depending marginal flange 11 to overhang a slight distance the sides and ends of the mail box when the said cover or top is brought to a closed position thereon.

Within the mail box 8 and connected to its back wall is a horizontally disposed U-shaped strap 12 forming a holder for mail matter introduced into the box by occupants of a house adjacent the same to be subsequently collected by a rural mail agent or postman. Fixed exteriorly to the rear side of the mail box 8 is a bracket 13 the latter adapted to be secured to a post or the like to mount and support the said mail box to one side of a highway or road adjacent a dwelling ho use to be used by its occupant for which the box is intended.

Near one end of the box and within the same and fixed to the bottom thereof is a guide strip 14 the latter disposed. horizontally and transverse with respect to the longitudinal extent of the box. Mounted between the guide strip 14 and the adjacent end wall of the box is a slide plate 15 having formed thereon near its rear end and at one longitudinal edge a vertical ear 16 the same being disposed at right angles to the slide plate and containing an elongated slot 17 engaged by a projecting lug 18 formed at the scribed and illustrated in the accompanying end of a rocking lever 19 the same being centrally pivoted as at 20 to the end wall of the mail box and to the opposite end of this lever is pivoted as at 21 one end of a link 22 the opposite end of which is pivoted as at 23 to an ear 24 secured and depending from the in ner face of the cover or top 10 near the rear portion thereof. It will be apparent that upon the raising of the cover or top 10 the rocking lever 19 having connection with the slotted ear 16 and through the medium of the link 22 connected to said cover will move the slide plate 15 forwardly through an opening 25 contained in the front wallof the mail box at the lower front corner thereof.

At the forward end of the slide plate 15, is connected by a hinge 26 a coin depository or receiver 27 which latter when the cover or top 10 is raised will normally rest upon the slide plate 15 to receive coins to be deposited in the depository or receiver 27 by a person placing mail matter Within the mail box so as to cover the requisite amount of postage required for the transportation of the mail matter. hen the said cover or top 10 is lowered for closing the mail box 8 the slide plate 15 is moved inwardly in the mail box to bring the depository or receiver 27 within the mail box so that its front face will be flush with the front wall of the mail box and thereby prevent a malicious person from gaining access to the depository or receiver and thereby get possession of its contents.

Upon the arrival of the rural mail agent or postman and the raising of the cover or top 10 the slide plate 15 is automatically moved forward to bring the depository or receiver 27 to a position outside of the mail box 8 whereupon the said depository or receiver 27 is free to be tilted or swung on its hinge 26in a position to discharge the coins deposited therein into the hand of the mail agent or postman.

Pivotally connected as at 28 to one end wall of the mail box 8 is a swinging arm 29 having formed thereon a signal 30 which latter when swung to a position to project above the cover or top 10 of the mail box is adapted to indicate to the mail agent or postman that mail matter or the like has been deposited within the mail box for collection. arm 29 is bent to form an offset lip 31. which latter is adapted to engage the marginal flange 11 of the top or cover 10 when the arm is swung to a vertical position so as to hold the signal 30 in view above the top or cover of the mail box. The opposite end of the mail box 8 is formed with a thickened portion 32 near its mouth to which is pivoted as at 33 a curved staff 34 having formed thereon a right angularly disposed flag or signal 35 the latter adapted to project into the path of movement of the cover or top 10 of the mail box so that the signal will be moved to a vertical position upon the raising of the cover or top of the box. The said signal 35 The said normally rests against the top or cover 10 when in a closed position and the staff 34 thereof is provided with a weight 36 which latter serves to hold the said signal 35 in a substantially horizontal or vertical position when swung to opposite sides of its axis of rotation. To limit the vertical disposition of the staff 34 there is provided a stop pin 37 projecting from the end wall of the mail box into the path of movement of the said stall.

Fixed to the guide strip 14 and to the adjacent end wall of the mail box 8 above the side plate 15 is a bridge piece 38 the latter maintaining said slide plate from displace ment when being automatically operated by the cover or top of the box. Mounted within the mail box directly over the slide plate 15 is a housing 38 which latter prevents access or the interference of mail matter contained in the mail box with the said slide plate or coin depository or receiver.

Projecting from the front wall of the box is a staple 39 and fixed to the cover or top 10 of the said box are spaced eyes 40 the latter adapted to register with the opening of the staple 39 on opposite sides thereof when the cover or top is closed upon the mail box to receive a lock 41 of the usual construction to maintain the cover or top closed and to prevent persons other than the mail agent or postman and parties for which the use of the box is intended from gaining access thereto.

The signal 35 is adapted to be moved to a vertical position for the purpose of indicating to the occupant of a house adjacent the mail box 8 that the mail agent or postman has deposited mail matter or the like within the mail box for the said occupant. Should the mail agent or postman find that he has no mail matter to be deposited within the mail box and after closing the cover or top 10 upon the same it is necessary for him to shift the signal 35 in a position to contact with the closed cover or top and in this manner the occupants of the house will know that there has been no mail matter deposited within the mail box thus relieving them of the necessity of going to the box to look for mail. \Vithin j the box and projecting from one end wall thereof is a stop lug 42 the latter limiting the movement of the lever 19 to prevent the lid or top from being opened too far.

W hat is claimed is 1. A mail box comprising a receptacle having a bottom, side and end walls, one of said side walls containing an opening at one corner of the receptacle, a cover hinged to the receptacle at the top thereof, a slide plate movable through said opening, connections between said cover and slide plate to project the latter through the said opening in the receptacle upon. the raising of the cover, a money depository at the forward end of the slide plate and adapted to normally close the opening when the top is in lowered position,

means limiting the sliding movement of the slide plate, and means pivotally connecting the money depository to the slide plate to permit the tilting of said depository when the slide plate is in projected position exteriorly of the receptacle.

2. A mail box comprising a receptacle having a bottom, side and end walls, one of said side walls containing an opening at one corner of the receptacle, a cover hinged to the receptacle at the top thereof, a slide plate movable through said opening, connections between said cover and slide plate to project the latter through the said opening in the receptacle upon the raising of the cover, a money depository at the forward end of the slide plate and adapted to normally close the opening when the top is in lowered position, means limiting the sliding movement of the slide plate, means'pivotally connecting the money depository to the slide plate to permit the tilting of said depository when the slide plate is in projected position eXteriorly of the receptacle, and a housing within the said receptacle to form an independent compartment for the slide plate and money de- ,pository,

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two wltnesses.

HARRY P. DAVIS.

Witnesses ALBERT BARBER, H. E. SCHAADE. 

